Allan Dixon isn’t interested in taking selfies with villagers or the brilliant scenery of places he travels. Instead, the 29-year-old “animal whisperer” captures special moments with locals of the furry, finned and feathered kind.

The outcome? Hilarious and sweet photos with his wild comrades that look happy – some shocked – to strike a pose.

The Irish man says he exercises caution when approaching animals and spends up to three hours with the animal to earn its trust before snapping the shot.